The 2020 SELEF Literary Competition is open to all undergraduate college students associated with SELEF. All entries must be received by Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

A $1,000 GRAND PRIZE will be awarded to that single entry which shows the greatest level of overall excellence in one of the eight categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, photography, film, music/lyrics, STEM writing and visual art. The decision of the judges is final; the judges may also elect not to give the award, or may split it into two $500 prizes. The prize money is paid directly to the winner. This is not a scholarship; it is a direct cash award. Previous winners of this prize are not eligible to win a second time, but they can enter and win first prizes in any or all categories.

First prize of $250 is offered in all categories. Based on the number of second, third and fourth prizes awarded, cash grants may be made of amounts smaller than $100, based on funds available and the number of awards granted.

There are eight categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Photography, Film, Music/Lyrics, Visual Arts, and STEM Writing. Each entry may only be considered for one category. This application is for Fiction, Poetry and Non-Fiction. Please choose your category below and attach your manuscripts as directed.

Previously published works are not eligible for entry, except works published in college or university publications. Original material submitted for course work is acceptable. Submit recent works to the competition, rather than works submitted in previous years. You can submit more than once if you have additional entries for the same category or for different categories.

Entries should not be signed and should not bear information that could disclose the identity of the entrant.

Entries will be considered if submitted from undergraduate college students in good standing associated with SELEF.

Entries will be submitted online via the SELEF submissions website before 11:59pm ET on the deadline date above. Any entries submitted together by a student into the same category may be considered and reviewed as a body of work by the judges of that category. Students who want to ensure that their entries are reviewed as individual works should submit those entries separately.

By entering the Literary Competition, all participants assure SELEF that the submitted work is their own, that all sources are correctly referenced, and that they have the appropriate rights to the content of their submission, to include depictions of characters or other content that is not the sole creation of the entrant. Any entries that infringe on the intellectual property rights of others will be disqualified. In addition to this, all participants grant the Samuel Eells Literary and Educational Foundation the unrestricted right to display all and/or selected entries on a SELEF website or within a printed SELEF literary journal.

There is no minimum number of submissions required for an award to made in each category. However, regardless of the number of submissions made, the judges reserve the right not to make an award in any category if they deem that no submissions meet the standards to earn an award. All decisions made by the judges are final and are kept confidential.